i think my golden hamster may be ill or injuried..?

Question
hello,

i have a golden hamster who is approx 1yr nd 8months old, she has always been a very active hamster and i let her have the freedom to run around a room(under supervision), which keeps her happy.

lately though, i have been noticing that her hind legs have lowered and she has become more stiff like.

Today she stayed in bed, awake but not moving around like usual, very stiff on her hind legs. She also has a strong plusing(could be breathing?)between her ribs and hind legs which i think could be linked..?

she has taken a few falls as she tries to climb up many objects while running around, though seems to be fine afterwards, especially in the past.

do you think i should consult a vet....?and would you have any idea in what could be causing her pain?

id really appreciate any ideas you may have for me that can help.

thanks.

Answer
Hi Louise -
Your hamster is fairly advanced in age, and it's likely she is exhibiting signs of that. As they age, hamsters lose muscle tone, become less active and/or weaker, and tend to lose weight.

While this may be the case for your girl, you may want to take her to a vet for a check up to make sure she doesn't have anything that needs treating. You mention heavy breathing, so if it were me, I'd probably take her in to make sure she didn't have a respiratory infection.

Here is a good article on old age in hamsters:
http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamsters_old_age.htm

Good Luck!
Jackie